At last the “wooden block” consisting of the entire south half of the east side of the square is gone up in flames. The most destructive fire Marion has had for years, occurred on the morning of last Tuesday. It consumed an entire block of business houses, and crossed over to the South and burned a saloon and a stable.
Though this block has long been considered dangerous quarters, and insurance rates were very high reaching annual premiums of 5 per cent, of the policies, yet it was crowded with business places and did a large per cent of the trade of the city. For more than forty years some of these buildings have been the scene of traffic and trade and more exciting events in our city’s history.
The main building was occupied by the store of G.H. Goodall, who hauled the rock for the foundation from Alum Cave, making one load a day. The old barn known as the Tom Davis Livery Stable was another old building to go up the fiery way.
Those who suffered loss by the fire are as follows: Will Simpson lost a saloon stock valued at $800 insured for $500. H.N. Boles lost the building known as the old drug store of J.M. Cline valued at $1000, insured for $600 and his saloon stock in the Mrs. B.F. Lowe building valued at $1000, insured for $800. He saved a small part of his stock however. Mrs. Mollie Goodall lost the building occupied by S.C. Dunston, valued at $600 insured for $500. S.C. Dunston had a $900 stock of harness insured for $500. A good portion was saved, but loss will amount to probably half the stock.
Geo. H. Goodall owned the corner building with its large and varied stock. The building was valued at $3000 was insured for $1800. The stock was valued at $8000 and was insured for $5000. A quantity of his merchandise was saved in a damaged condition, but the loss will be large.
Mrs. B.F. Lowe lost the saloon building in the next block south of the other burned buildings. It was valued at $800 and was insured for $400. H.N. Boles saloon occupied this building. Frank Parks kept hotel over the Goodall Store and lost nearly all his goods amounting to $400, insured for $300. Mrs. F. Gent owned the livery stable that was burned. It was insured for $200. The lot is probably more valuable without the barn than with it, yet it served the purpose of a livery stable very well. Mr. Gent had about $75 worth of feed in the barn which he lost without insurance.
Dr. L.B. Casey lost a stable and feed valued at $100, no insurance and was damaged considerable by heat breaking the glass front of his building where A.E. Bracy’s store is. Tout Tippy, a laborer, living in the second story of one of the frame buildings, lost all of his household effects, no insurance. Uncle Jake Fry lost all of his tools of his trade except the sewing machine, which Claude Barham had saved. No insurance.
Tony & Crisp’s Barber Shop was destroyed with a loss of $100, a part of the property being saved. Frank Higgins had about $75 worth of furniture stowed in one of the doomed buildings, which was totally lost without insurance. J.M. Keller’s restaurant in the Robertson basement suffered to the amount of about $50. No insurance. Sam Jack & Co., who have a meat market —— East St. from the —-in fresh meat and other—–. —– no insurance.
The Marion Electric Light & Street company was damaged to the extent of probably $100. M.W. Robertson is damaged, largely —-block across East St. – it is hard to estimate his damage. Story one of the 20 window and door homes are burned out of the South side of this building, and the wall softened and warped, and considerable damage, done by water inside. His losses will be covered by insurance. H.M. Parks’ Hardware Store was considerably damaged by the intense heat. All the glass corner next to the fire was burned out, and the window and door frames near the fire were charred through. Also considerable damage was sustained by his stock and household goods. He probably lost $500, which is all except household goods, covered by insurance.
The fire originated in the North division of the back room of Will Simpson’s saloon. It was a small room about 8 feet by 12 feet and was used as a whiskey storage room. The room was tight and close and the fire burned and smoldered in his pent up place till when it finally burst its bounds it was beyond the control of any bucket brigade and our efficient fire department. The flames soon spread over the tender-like block and the grandeur of the destroying element as it shot up from it raging, roaring, white hot base in lurid lapping flames, high in the inky night, and destroyed in a few minutes the long years labor of puny man was sublime.
That the fire was first seen about 10 to 1 o’clock a.m., Tuesday morning is known. That it all started in that room as stated above is known. But how it started is the question that agitates the minds of most of our citizens. Of course everyone has his opinion, and some are free to express them. Those who could be easily led to believe in the total depravity of man assert that it was the work of an incendiary. Others are mysterious and put on an I-know-something look and nod and hint and point and beck and go through multitudinous gyrations incapable of interpretation, hoping, yet fearing to cast reflections upon they know not whom. But it has ever been thus since Adam accused Eve of eating the apple that he stole while she was off trying to flirt with the serpent and pull the wool over his eyes.
Now as a matter of fact it was a simple pure case of spontaneous combustion in the ice chest, brought about by the restoration of confidence and the return of prosperity since the flood. We did not intend to give it away but this we know; about 11:30 pm Sam Russell and T.L. Dowell came up from the depot and stopped at Sam Absher’s restaurant. While they were there, Mr. Russell says Will Simpson came out of his saloon, locked the door and left. Also Albert Broad came to the restaurant and said he had just been down to Simpsons saloon scrubbing. This was near midnight. These men saw no one skulking about around; whom they could suspicion.
In a short time Mrs. Absher went out the back of the restaurant to get a bucket of water and saw smoke coming from the saloon. She also saw a heavy set man wearing a slouched hat and an overcoat burst from the rear of the saloon and run away. Some people would rashly infer that the man might have something to do with the origin of the combustion, but we hold to our theory that it was spontaneous, and that he was running away for good reasons.
Mrs. Absher left the fleeing biped to pursue the even tenor of his way and called to her husband to come there quickly as she believed the saloon was on fire. He went and saw the smoke also Mr. Russell ran around the front of the saloon and down the south side but could see no smoke. Together he and Mr. Absher broke open the front door and found the front room filled with smoke which was coming from the back room. They began giving the alarm by firing off pistols and yelling “fire.” Soon people began pouring up from all parts of the city, but it was too late to stop the flames, so hundreds of willing hands began to move property from the doomed buildings.
The square was soon filled with goods of all descriptions and guards were appointed to watch over them until they could be housed in other quarters. Many brave and praise-worthy acts were done that we have not space to mention now. Sparks from the fire. It has long been expected. Now we will have a solid brick square. Rooms for businesses are in demand in the city since the blaze. Poor Tom Tippy! He lost everything and had no insurance.
W.F. Slater moved his office to the basement of the court house. The boys formed a line and hunted for money the next morning. There were lots of “sockless Jerrys” on the square Tuesday morning. Frank Parks is to be pitied. He lost his household goods and the contents of his stomach. Those who wear new shoes next Sunday ought to be in possession of a certificate of purchase.
May & Campbell’s furniture was all moved out but was replaced after fire with little damage. Wayne Brock deserves honor for his untiring efforts in his search for nickels and dimes the next morning. J.H. Davis and M.J. Brewer were in from Crab Orchard viewing the burnt district early Tuesday morning. The fire didn’t get to Sherman May’s store but it came so near it singed his moustache off his shaving mug. Revolvers do not make good fire alarms. Our printer says four bullets passed in unpleasant nearness to his august person.
Absher’s restaurant was to have changed hands Tuesday morning. Ere that time it had undergone a physical change. Garments that hadn’t been out of sight for six straight weeks couldn’t be found Tuesday morning when you started to the fire. G.H. Goodall has removed what goods he saved to the Dunaway brick and will continue his business there until he erects a new building. If Sam Jack had hung his meat out on the walk next to East Street he would have saved it and had barbecue a la Tom Johnson for breakfast. Will Warder lost his head while in Robertson’s basement and when he undertook to retire from that gloomy place he found that he had lost himself.
The big blaze destroyed everything on the burned block except one cistern and a few pennies. The cistern was still there but Wayne Brock got the pennies. The girls were out in force Tuesday morning without paint or powder and the boys were given a glimpse of what the evening belles look like before breakfast.
Flem Gent saved all his horses with no trouble. A horse of W.T. Davis which was in the stable, was stubborn, but was rescued with some loss of his own hide. Ed Bentley lost his shaving mug – the second loss of this kind in the same manner. Ed says he will not invest in shaving mugs anymore until we quit having fires. Did you ever get up in the middle of the night? There is no place like home, With the town on fire and your pants Out of sight? There’s no place like home.
J.G. Young slept soundly and snored smoothly and smiled sweetly during all the hubbub of the great fire. We truly believe there is a time coming and a place fixed when and where lawyers will not think so lightly of the consuming element.
Many heroes were there and some heroines were on the scene, but we do not refer to those who dunned the unfortunate ones the next day for money due them for services rendered at the fire, neither do we include those who are now wearing any apparel, chewing any tobacco, smoking any cigars or drinking any spirits that were maliciously taken from amid said unfortunate ones.
John Ensminger was working like a whitehead during the fire lugging a hundred pounds of cotton batting to a cooler climate when a portly woman, wild with imaginary fears, ran into him, almost breaking his back and screaming, “Oough! Oough! Don’t let my dear darling beloved husband burn up!” John used a few common everyday expletives and promised her he didn’t know if he did or not.
(Extracted from local newspapers and compiled by Harry Boyd, posted at http://www.marionfire.us/ )